Self-heating sad-iron.



0. SPAHR.

SELF HEATlNG SAD IRON.

APPLICATION FILED MAY5.191 5.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

Ill/l4 Ill ll INVENTOI? OTTO L's/ 4,44

WITNESSES d S M I HTORZ EZZ' PLANDGRAPH UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- OTTO SPAHR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T S'l R AUSE GAS IRON 00., 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SELF-HEATING SAID-IRON.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented lIal. 28, 1916.

Application filed May 5, 1915. Serial No. 25,884.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO SPAHR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Heating Sad- Irons, of which the following is a specifica tion.

My invention relates to self-heating sad irons-and has for its object to provide. such irons with an improved hinged or pivoted cover construction and with an efficient and simple locking means whereby said cover is locked in its closed position to the body and is readily detachable therefrom when it is desired to move said cover to its open position. f

A further object of my improvement is to so locate said locking means that the same is entirely invisible when the cover is closed whereby the appearance of the iron is materially enhanced and the locking means itself is protected against interference and tampering My invention also contemplates the improvement of the bottom construction of the body in a manner to secure a maximum heating effect from the flames of the burner.

The details of "my improvement will be fully set forth in the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings whichillustratean example of my invention, Figure 1 is a plan view of mvimproved iron with parts broken away; Fig. 2 an inverted plan view of the cover; Fig. 3 isa cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail section on the line 44 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the locking member.

As shown in the drawing my improved construction comprises a hollow body which in the'example shown is provided in its bottom with a channel 11 extending lengthwise of the iron and connected with the atmosphere by means of passa es 12 extending trans ersely through said bottom as shown in Fig. 3. In the preferred construction the interior surfaces 13 of the b ttom at op osite sidesof said channel incline downwardly therefrom toward the outs de as also shown in Fig. 3. the purpose of which will appear more clearly from the description herein fter. At its upper ed e the body in the illustrated form is provided with end projections 14 and lugs 15 and 16 located intermediate thereof and opposite each other whereby openings 17 are formed through which the products of combustion may readily escape from the iron duringuse thereof. A burner 18 provided with oppositely and downwardly directed jet apertures 19 is located in said body 10 above and in registry with said channel 11 and the example illustrated is continued exteriorly of the body in the form of an upwardly inclined tube20. The latter is provided with the usual air inlet openings 21 and terminates at its upper endin a preferably detachable nipple 22 adapted to ac commodate one end of the usual fuel tube whereby the burner is connected with a source of fuel supply in the usual manner.

A cover 23 having the same general shape when looked at in planras the body 10 when similarly viewed is provided for closing said body at the top. This cover 23 is movably. connected with the iron for instance by being hinged on or pivotally connected with the lug 15 as shown at 24 in Fig. 3 and in this case is pivotally movable in a vertical plane to and from a closed position. 'The said cover 23 is further provided with proof metal and more or less elastic is positioned so as to be spaced from the cover whereby an air space 27is formed between said plate and cover throughout substantially the entire area of the latter. The said plate 26 maybe secured to the cover many suitable manner as by screws-28 which may also serve to secure the handle 29 whereby the iron is manipulated to the cover, washers or the like 30 being preferablylocated about said screws between said handle and said plate. f 1

In order that the cover 23 may be securely locked in its closed position I provide a latch or dog 31 which projects through an aperture 32 in the cover 23 and is formed with transversely projecting shoulders 33 arranged to rest upon the-upper surface of said cover on opposite sides of said aperture 32 as shown in Fig. 4. The upper end surface 3 1 of said dog orlatch 31 is flat and in the assembled condition of the parts engages the lower surface of the plate 26, which exerts apressure upon said flat end surface, whereby said dog or latch is normally maintained in its operative position.

.jections 25 on which a plate 26 preferably under the pressure exerted by said plate as shown in Fig. 3. With this arrangement it will be seen that the latch or dog 31 is in the nature of a separate element set into the aperture 32, it being of course understood that in some cases said dog 31 may be attached to and depend from said plate 26 through said aperture 32. In this latter instance the resiliency of the plate will maintain the latch or dog in its operative position. The lower end of said latch or dog 31 is formed with a nose or projection 35 adapted to enter a recess 36 in the lug 16 when the cover is closed and in co'iiperation with said recess serves to firmly lock the cover in its closed position. The lower portion of said nose or projection 35 is preferably roun led as at 35 while its upper portion 35 is preferably curved or rounded transversely when looked at as in Fig. a, the recess being preferably circular with its inner surface diverging toward its open end as shown in Fig. 3. The wall 32 of the aperture 32 at its upper edge substantially engages the dog 31 and then preferably in clines away therefrom as shown in Fig. 3 whereby said dog is prevented from sliding in the aperture 32 relatively to the plate 26 and cover 23 toward the longitudinal center of the iron and the projection 35 is prevented from unintentionally leaving the recess 36 as would be possible if the aperture at its upper edge were dimensioned so as to permit such sliding movement of the dog. At the same time the inclination of the wall 32 permits said dog to rock on the shoulders 33 away from the recess 36 when the cover is being opened. In other words when the dog or latch is a separate element as described the aperture32 at its upper edge, at least, is preferably so proportioned relatively to the dog 31 as to prevent any substantially loose sliding movement of the latter in said aperture in directions parallel with the plane of the cover, whereby a relatively firm, secure arrangement is provided. This locking means is entirely automatic in action and needs no individual or manual actuation when it is desired to either lock the cover in its closed position or to open it. For instance when the cover is closed as in Fig. 3 and it is desired to open it all that is necessary is to exert a forceon the handle 29 tending to swing said cover 23 on the pivot 2 1 relatively to the body to an open position. This force will, cause the upper portion 35 of the projection 35 to ride along the diverging inner surface of the recess 36 and will consequently swing the lower end of the latch or dog 31 inwardly or in other words rock said dog upon the shoulders 33 which rest on the cover 23 and which thus serve as a pivot or fulcrum during this operation, the inclined wall 32% permitting such rocking movement of said dog outof the recess 36 as will be readily apparent. This inward swinging or rocking of the dog will be resisted by the plate 26 which rests on the flat end surface 3% of the dog or latch so that the force must be sufficient to overcome the pressure exerted by said plate, it being of course understood that the body is held against movement in any suitable way during this operation, as by grasping the tube 21. As soon as the projection 35 has passed completely out of the recess 36 the cover 23 is free to be swung to its completely open position without difficulty. During the rocking'of the dog as described, the flat end surface 3d of thedog 31 will assume an angle relatively to the lower surface of the plate 26 and will thus slightly bend said plate upwardly against its pressure. As soon as the projection 35 has passed beyond the lug 16 the pressure of the plate 26 will immediately force the end surface 3% of the dog 31 back into surface engagem-entwith the lower face of said plate and will thus rock the dog on the shoulders 33 in the reverse direction so as to immediately return the latch or dog 31 to its initial position. In swinging the cover onits pivot in theopposite direction to again close it the lower rounded end 35 of the latch or dog 31 will engage the lug 16 and will again be. swung inward thereby or rocked on the shoulders 33 against the pressure of the plate 26 in the same manner as above de scribed, and as the closing movement of the cover is continued will finally be snapped into the recess 36 to again firmly lock the cover against movement relatively to the body. Instead of arranging the dog 31 as a separate element, the said dog may, as before indicated, be attached to and depend from the plate 26 through the-aperture 32. In this case the plate will simply yield and carry the dog with it as pressure is applied to open or close the cover and the resiliency ofsaid plate will serve tosnap the projection 35 into the recess 36 and hold the same therein when said cover is fully closed. With this latter arrangement the dimensions of the aperture 32 are not material excepting thatthey must be such as to permit a yielding movement of the dog when the cover is being opened or closed, it being also possible in this case to omit the shoulders 33 if desired. The ressure exertedby the plate 26 on thesurface 34 of the latch or dog 31, if the latter is loosely connected therewith or the resiliency of said plate if the dog depends therefrom, is sufficient to maintain the projection 35 firmly seated in the recess 36 under ordinary conditions so that the iron may be freely lifted by the handle or otherwise manipulated during use without disengaging the locking means and without danger of causinga n unintentional opening of the cover; Owing to the fact that the locking means itself in either case needs no individual manipulation to lock or release the cover and is actuated entirely through the medium of the latter, the said locking means may be located on the inside of the iron parts and so as to be substantially invisible when the cover is closed. In this way the appearance of the iron is materially improved and no inconvenient exterior projections are present therein and at the same time the locking means itself is protected against interference and tampering and against accidental or unintentional actuation. lVith the present arrangement the means for maintaining the latch or dog in its operative position is located exteriorly v of the cover away from the direct influence of the flames at the burner and with the cover forms an air space which msulates said means or more specifically the plate 26 7 against the heat radiating from the cover.

At the same time the handle 29 is also protected against such heat radiation with this construction which has the additional advantage of confining the radiation of heat to such parts of the iron whichit is intended to heat. By pivoting the cover. 23 about a. horizontal pivot so as to swing in a vertical plane and combining same with the automatic locking means referred to it is possible to readily swing the cover to its open position during such periods when the iron is temporarily at rest during use. As shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3 the handle 29 in this open position of the cover is entirely outside of the zone in which the heat radiates from the iron so that said handle may in this manner be kept perfectly cool thus doing away with the necessity for the use of an iron holder or the like.

By inclining the surfaces 13 of the bottom of the iron downwardly toward the outside, these surfaces extend in the same general direction as the flamesissuing from the jet openings 19, which flames in consequence are not broken up but extend transversely in contact with said surfaces throughout and with full force thus bringing about a maximum heating effect in a minimum of time. With the arrangement described it is also possible to maintain the iron in the desired heated condition with much smaller flames than heretofore thus resulting in a reduction in the consumption of fuel.

My improved arrangement is very simple in construction and provides an iron of maximum efiiciency, it being understood that the cover and locking means may be com bined with iron bodies of other shapes and constructions than the one shown without affecting the efliciency-of said cover and looking means, and also that the illustrated arrangement may be otherwise varied to meet the requirements of any particular case.

Various changes in the specific forms shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a self-heating sad iron, a hollow body, a cover pivotally secured upon said body, a yielding locking member on one of said elements means on the other element adapted to cooperate with said member for automatically locking said cover in its closed position, a handle on said cover for exerting a. pressure thereon tending to move said cover to an open position whereby said memher and means are releasedfrom each other and a burner located in said body.

2. In a self-heating. sad iron, a hollow body, a burner located therein, a cover pivotally secured upon said body, locking means located interiorly of said body, a yielding locking member carried by said cover and arranged to extend into said body. into engagement with said locking means whereby said cover is automatically locked in its closed position and means whereby said cover is moved relatively to said body to an open position and said locking means and member are released from each other.

3. In a self-heating sad iron, a hollow body, a burner located therein, a cover pivotally secured upon said body, a locking element located on the inside of said body, a dog carried by said cover and arranged to extend into said body and cooperate with said lockingelement to lock the cover in its closed position and means for maintaining said dog and locking element in cooperative engagement with each other.

4. In a self-heating sad iron, a hollow body, a burner located therein, a cover pivotally secured upon said body, a locking ele ment located on the inside of said body, a dog movably mounted on said cover and arranged to cooperate with said locking element to lock the cover in its closed position, said dog having a portion projecting beyond the outer surface of said cover and resilient means located exteriorly on said cover in engagement with the projecting portion of said dog whereby the latter is maintained in cooperative engagement with said looking element.

5. In a self-heating sad iron, a hollow body, a burner located therein, a locking element located on the inside of said body, a cover pivotally secured upon said body and provided with an aperture, 2. dog movably mounted on said cover and extending through said aperture and arranged'to cooperate with said locking element to lock the 6. In a self-heating sad iron, a hollow body having an interiorly located recess, a burner located in said body, acover pivotally secured upon said body and provided with an aperture, a dog extending through said aperture and arranged to cooperate with said recess to lock said cover in its closed position, transverse shoulders on said dog resting upon the exterior surface of said cover and forming a pivot for said dog, and a resilient plate secured upon said cover and spaced from the outer surface thereof, said plate engaging said dog whereby the latter is maintained in cooperative engagement with said recess.

7. In a self-heating sad iron, a hollow body, a burner located therein, a locking ele ment located interiorly of said body, a cover hinged to said body about a horizontal pivot, and resilient locking means carried by said cover and projecting beyond the inner sur- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

cover pivotally secured upon said body and.

provided with an aperture, a plate secured upon sald cover and spaced from the outer surface thereof and a locking dog extending from said plate through said aperture and arranged to cooperate with said locking element to lock said cover 111 its closed position.

In testimony whereofl have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. V

' o'r'ro SPAHR.

lVitnesses E. LAURENCE "WEBsTER, J. Bnrms'rnm.

Washington, D. C. 

